


hunterxknight

by Judithan



Category: Tales of Vesperia
Genre: Drabble Collection, Established Crush, Eventual Romance, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-02
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-11-08 01:09:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11070897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Judithan/pseuds/Judithan
Summary: Drabble collection in where Raven is a hunter returned home with a mission, and Yuri wants nothing to do with it. Gone for nearly two years, and he comes back with this? What a bother.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this entire fic over the course of like 6 days. If there are any weird errors anywhere just leave a comment

He’s unsure of what to do when he comes across Raven. It had been years since he had seen the man, for a while he considered that he may have kicked the bucket, what with his health issues. But yet here he was, alive and well, and most certainly his same usual self. Save for his outfit change, the man didn’t seem to have aged a day.

That green… it looked way too good on him for Yuri to really be comfortable.

“You miss me much?” He asks, drawl thick and eyes absent yet expectant. If Yuri hadn’t known better he could have sworn Raven had only been gone a day or two, not two whole years.

“I was expecting to find your body floating up on the shore, to be honest.” He’s teasing, of course, and Raven knows this. He plays the hurt card like he always does and Yuri laughs it aside.

Except, that’s not what happens.

Nothing ever goes as expected with this man.

“I’m in real bad trouble, Yuri.” He steps closer to him, and it’s clear there’s a real desperation about him. Of course there is, you don’t exactly meet up with someone in the shadow’s of their storage shed because you’re doing great.

“Must be if you’re coming back to me with your tail between your legs.” Yuri tries to scoff it off, but he knows. 

“I… I don’t know where to start…”

“How about at the beginning?” Yuri offers, to which Raven shoots back an annoyed look, but he's by no means lost the humor behind the comment.  


“That’s too far, pretty uninteresting to dredge through an old man’s life.” Is all Raven can spit back, trying to act as nonchalant about his troubles as he possibly can. It's an act Yuri sees through with ease, though. The effort is cute. Well maybe not 'cute' but it's certainly amusing. At least, the most amusing thing about this whole debacle.  


“Then wherever you want. I don’t got all day, though.”

"I -well, you’re not going to be happy with me.” At least he's honest.  


“You’ve been gone for two years and somehow managed to find me all on your own, Raven. I know I can’t get rid of you even if I tried. No use trying to deny you of whatever you need from me.”

"That’s… the problem, though.”

“What?”

“I, God, I told myself I was finally ready to face you and now here I am flubbing this up-” Desperation was clear on the man’s face, eyes looking like he hadn’t slept in days. What could possibly be so important for him to be shaken like this?

“What’s wrong, Raven?” Yuri didn’t like the sound of any of this, and his alarms were on high.

“I...I can’t stop thinking about you.”

...Huh?!

“Wait, what?” 

This was a joke right? It wasn’t in any good taste, that was for sure.

“I’m not in like,  _ danger _ trouble, more just, I need you, Yuri.” Oh God, it wasn’t a joke. He was serious and seriously saying this and Yuri could feel heat rising to his face. To come out of the blue and just say this sort of thing? Who did Raven think he was?!

“Hold on. Wait just a second. You, wait, what?” Yuri was fucking pissed. “You’re telling me, you disappear for two years after our guild is just getting on its feet, fuck off to become a hunter in the woods, and then suddenly come back one day and think that you can just pull whatever this is?” This was complete and utter bullshit if Yuri had ever heard it, and he wasn’t buying whatever it was Raven was trying to sell.

“I know. I’m a fool, and a coward, and probably a dozen other nasty words that only Rita would actually verbalize, but… it’s true.” He scratched the back of his head, sheepish and likely ashamed.

Oh Gods Almighty, he was actually serious. He was 100% serious about all of this.

“So the trouble is… me?” It was almost amusing, watching a grown man’s face twist in embarrassment, turning bright red, over what was likely a kiddie crush. Yuri was hardly amused, but that look gave him some kind of compensation for his troubles.

“I tried leaving, tried to clear my head, tried to get away and bury the hatchet, metaphorically. But...I can’t.”

“When? Why?” Raven twirls a piece of hair awkwardly, fidgeting under Yuri’s intense gaze.

“I...I don’t know. Yuri, God, I don’t know at all. All I know is that I had to come back, had to say something to you.” Of course he did, Yuri thought, with no regards to what his actions would truly hold. Or maybe he knew perfectly well and just wanted to see what waves he could make.

“If I refuse are you going to run away again? For that matter, if I accept, will you still run?” The way that Raven physically recoiled from the questions was almost enough to make Yuri feel sorry for the poor old man... _ almost _ . Even after everything on their journey, Yuri still found himself sour over what had happened. To just run away like that, for Raven to face him again it must have taken all of his strength.

“...You’re real good at kicking a man when he’s down, you know that?”

“Are you planning on dumping this on me and running?” He wasn’t going to let Raven weasel out of the question. He asked again, more intensely.

“I hope not.” Is the best Raven can manage, fear and anxiety clear as day on his face.

“If you mean what you say, then you’d better earn your keep.” Yuri tossed a spare bow at him from the shed, to which Raven fumbled for a moment before finally finding a good grip on it.

“My keep?”

“We’re going out on a mission. You and me.”

“A mission? Both of us?”

“Was originally just going to be myself, but since you’ve been so kind to show your face, it’s the least I can do for an old friend.” Yuri shuts the shed closed, locking it tight. Looking at Raven, he saw that the man’s eyes had practically lit up. If he wasn’t so exasperated by this entire ordeal he may have found it somewhat endearing.

“An old… friend? Young man, you honor me.” Of course, Yuri could only roll his eyes in response.

“Now don’t get any ideas just yet. I haven’t said anything in regards to your… troubles.” Sword in tow, the two of them walked towards the front of Yuri’s house. Even with it being so late, the town that Brave Vesperia had built was still bustling. They headed towards the north exit of the town, Raven two steps behind Yuri.

“Ah, keeping me in suspense then?” Cheeky as always, Raven was acting like a spoiled brat if anything.

“Something like that. Let’s go.”

“Right behind ya.”


	2. Chapter 2

It was insufferable.

The stares, the glances, the obvious hue change on Raven’s face every time he got caught. It was like he was doing it just obviously enough to piss Yuri off and boy was it ever. If it wasn’t for the swordsman’s incredible tolerance for that sort of thing when it came to Estelle he may have considered just giving up and kicking the geezer to the curb.

He didn’t want anything to do with any sort of romance, and yet Raven persisted. If anything, Yuri had to admit it was admirable, how much he wanted to make his advances known. Not that it was any less annoying.

“Let’s stop at the inn for the night.”

“You never did say where we were headed.” Raven huffed, arms behind his neck in his same-old casual pose that he did.

“Capua Nor, just got a little bit of business there, something about a monster in need of slaying.” It was nothing out of the ordinary for Brave Vesperia to take on odd jobs like these, especially back in the day. As of late they tended to get bigger operations, but he left those for Judith, since she had Ba’ul at her easy disposal.

“Ain’t that a job for the Hunting Blades?” Quick as always.

“Would be, but they’ve made themselves scarce in the last couple years.”

“Ah.”

The two walked in silence for a while longer until they reached the town. It was in a much better state since the knight’s had finally started to get their act together. Albeit, still had it’s own share of problems and the like that go bump in the night, but Yuri couldn’t have cared less. They could handle things on their own, and muddling into the affairs of others had put far more conflict into his heart than he could have ever wanted.

“Room for two, please.” They checked into the inn and were given the keys to their room.

Even back in the day, the lot of them always shared just one or two rooms, so Yuri didn’t think to pay it mind, even with Raven acting how he was.

“Think I might see myself to the bars, Yu-” Raven made for the front door, an easygoing grin plastered to his face, promise of booze and fine women obvious on his face. Yuri was having absolutely none of that though.

“Oh no, you don’t.” He grabbed the archer by the back of his collar and practically dragged the man to their room, none-so-gently tossing him inside.

“We’ve got matters to discuss and I’m not putting up with your shit drunk.” The door practically slammed shut behind Yuri, and even with the attitude he was giving Raven still found it funny enough to keep up the oh-so-hurt act.

“Augh, hey, watch the-” Raven was cut off by being slammed up against the wall. “Oh…”

“I know this is all fun and games to you but I’m not exactly appreciating this bullshit you’re giving me.” Grey eyes pierced holes into the archer’s skull and he could only try to laugh nervously in response. Even if this was all a tough-guy act on Yuri’s part he couldn’t say he wasn’t slightly intimidated by it.

“Ah, I don’t know whatever you could-” Yuri tightened his grip on Raven’s collar, effectively shutting the man up.

“You know exactly what I mean.”

Yuri could see Raven physically gulp at his words.

The more the glared at Raven the more he noticed a hue change on the man’s face, a deep red settling into his cheeks. God damn it.

“Intimidation doesn’t work if you’re going to get enjoyment out of it.”

“Sorry, sorry, I’ll make sure to take this seriously.”

“Old man…” Yuri practically growled in response and Raven could only give him a half-hearted chuckle. Just standing this close to him was enough of a bad idea, but for some reason Yuri couldn’t move. Or rather, he felt he didn’t want to move. Which was ridiculous, because this was Raven that he was within inches of.

“Now how’s about instead of threatening your old pal Raven, we do something that both of us can enjoy?” Before Yuri could ask what he meant he felt a hand grab at his waist, pulling him flush against Raven’s body.

Gods Almighty, he thought he died right then and there.

“What are you-”

“You won’t let me go out to have fun, so I’ve gotta make due somehow.” Raven gave him a toothy grin, his confident expression doing well to cover the undoubted nervousness he must have been feeling. At least, the way his eyes wavered and could barely keep on Yuri’s face alluded to that.

"I said no bar time because we’ve got a job to take care of in the morning.” Even with all his years of dealing with Flynn and Estelle and making his poker face perfect, he couldn’t avoid looking so entirely and utterly embarrassed at Raven’s hand at his waist. He couldn’t even hardly look the man in the eyes. Everything about this was so entirely stupid and so entirely ‘Raven’ that Yuri was by no means surprised.

“And you know better than anyone that I don’t get hung over.” That sly grin returned to Raven’s face.

“And so what if I do?” Yuri shot back, trying to figure out what it was out of this that wasn’t making him bolt back, or give the archer a black eye. He argued to himself that it was the hand on his waist, or the fact that Raven’s idiotic expression was amusing, but that wasn’t even close enough to half-ass a justification.

“You’re not doing a very good job of lying to either of us, yknow.” Raven caught on to his internal strife, and from the heat on his face, it wouldn’t have been too hard to piece together.

“And yet I’m still not going to kiss you.” Yuri sneered at the man, doing his best to keep as much distance face-wise as he could from this sort of exchange.

“Maybe someday you’ll change your mind.” He waggled his brows, honest to God. Was he trying to seem seductive or something? It wasn’t working by any means.

It was when the hand on his waist went south that he realized just how bad of an idea this was. A small squeeze, and yet it had Yuri yelp and backdash himself practically half-way across the room.

There was no way his face was anything other than tomato-red. God damn it.

“I-I’m heading out for a while.” Yuri coughs, trying to regain as much composure as possible.

“I thought you said we had things to discuss.” That stupid fucking smirk curls back onto Raven’s lips and if Yuri didn’t have a use for the man he would’ve knocked him out right then and there. It was right in front of his face, bolded and underlined, yet the condition for Raven’s return still hadn’t fully sunk into the swordsman until just then.

“That was before you tried playing grabass.” Yuri sighed, exasperated. “If you can keep your hands to yourself I’ll go ahead and brief you on our mission.”

Raven sat himself at the table that the inn had provided this room, one leg crossing over the over.

“Hands are right here, and unless you ask, they won’t go anywhere else.” He placed his hands palm-down on the table, and for as much dramatic fluff he tried to put in his tone, there was a certain seriousness to his words. “Now, love, how’s about you fill me in on the details?”

“Fine.”

It was going to be a long night.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kind of a short chapter but an update is an update yeah?

In the morning they set out. Sword and bow in hand, they marched into the nearby forests, where they would no doubt find the monster they had been seeking out. It was a simple mission, get a poison sack from this rare rain-dwelling monster so the commissioner could make an important antidote from it. Brave Vesperia had handled plenty of harder missions before this, ones that required real finesse, ones that involved monsters the likes of which they had never dealt with. 

Yet this monster seemed to be a real bastard.

It was about midday when they set out, the sky overcast as it has been the for the entirety of this rainy season, and while Yuri is thankful for it in terms of monster-hunting, he’s not exactly ecstatic to be running around in the rain with Raven. The old man doesn’t seem to mind, but it makes his clothes stick to his skin...which the old man  _ clearly _ doesn’t mind.

By now he should’ve been able to just ignore the wandering, invasive gaze, but it still got to him.

So much so that he didn’t notice the giant frog barreling towards him from the bushes.

“Our mark!” Raven called out a second too late, and Yuri got a faceful of frog body slamming him. If he wasn’t used to this sort of thing he may have been severely injured, but he managed to recoil well enough to bounce right back up.

“Augh…” He rolled his neck out, pain throbbing through his head.

“Careful, it’s poisonous.” Raven spoke, bow drawn back to full strain before shooting an arrow straight into the beast. It let out a screech but was by no means down for the count. This wasn’t going to be a one-and-done kind of fight, unfortunately.

“I know, I know.”

Yuri tossed his sheath to the side, getting into a proper stance before going to assail the creature. Up close, it wasn’t too tall, but it was bigger in mass than Yuri had expected. Not to mention the giant tongue didn’t help much.

Getting licked by a giant frog was by no means what Yuri wanted to do on a cold, rainy afternoon in the woods, and yet here he was. It was gross and slimey and was the exact thing he needed to fuel his blade.

With a swift plunge of his sword between the frog’s eyes, it was dead.

“You alright, Yuri?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just got some of it’s spit on my clothes.” He crinkled his nose, pouting and grossed out from the slimy feeling on him. Fortunately the rain would wash it out pretty soon.

“It didn’t poison you, did it?” Raven asked, offering a hand onto Yuri’s should where the worst of it was. From the faint glow, and the rushing feeling of warmth, it was clear that Raven was attempting to use healing artes on him.

“I’m fine, I’m fine. Taken harder hits than that from you, yknow.” Yuri waves off nonchalantly, but looking back at the archer the comment must have gotten to him. There was no smile on his lips or carefree mirth on his face, just a void of emotion, a look of despair. “Hey, it’s, ah, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine, just need to rest when we get back to the inn.”

“Alright, let’s get the poison sack out of it.” Yuri made for the frog, sword in hand, but paused.

After a solid minute of just staring at the frog, Raven stepped in.

“...Do you know how to do this?” Was all Yuri had to say. From the look on his face, he was clearly uncertain as to where to start with something like this.

“Why? Are you not trained in dissection?” Raven grinned, clearly amused by the swordsman’s disgust and dismay.

“...I’d just rather not have to do that, if at all possible.”

“Don’t worry, old Raven’s got ya.”

“I’m not exactly fond of butchering my own meat. Maybe it’s got something to do with spending so much time with Repede.”

“Where is the pooch anyway?” Raven asked, almost as though he only just now realized the dog’s absence. Actually, knowing the old man and his one-track mind, it’s very easy to think he only just now noticed. Talk about dense.

“He’s the town’s watch dog. I would bring him with me but his legs have started acting up.” It was a sad truth, but Repede was starting to get up there in age a bit. At least, he wasn’t the spry young pup that Raven had known  back in his knight days. The thought of Repede one day passing was something he preferred not to dwell on, but it was a fact he’d have to face one day.

The thought of mortality was not a fond one.

“Traveling the world all over will do that to you, yeah.” Raven brought him back to reality, his hand lodged into the frog’s gut.

After a few more moments and precise knife cuts, Raven emerged victorious with a strange bulbous, bloody sack. Yuri offered a small container for the thing, so it wouldn’t rupture or tear during their trek back. The whole thing was pretty nasty, and Yuri was extremely thankful to not have to get his hands dirty. Granted the rain would wash it right out, but textures like that can stick with you if you’re not careful.

“There we go. Safe and secure. Time to head back, huh?” Raven was only sunshine and smiles, though. Not at all bothered by the smell of death of the blood and vice under his fingernails.

“Yeah.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> is it still considered slow burn if the two idiots do have crushes on each other but are too stubborn to say anything? (and also if their interactions hurt?)

By the time they had gotten back to Capua Nor, Yuri knew something was wrong, very wrong.

His breathing had become shorter and shorter, and his vision was swimming as though he were drunk. If he had drank anything or eaten anything he could have assumed the old man or the wait staff at the inn had done something, but he was more or less running on empty. This was something beyond alcohol or food poisoning, and he was terrified to think what it could mean.

“You okay there, Yuri? You keep stumbling over yourself.” Raven noticed. Well, he likely noticed a while ago, but since this was the third nonexistent thing Yuri had nearly tripped over he was only now piping up.

“I’m...I’m fine.” His breath was hot and he could barely walk.

“You look like hell.” Another stumble and Raven was at his side, pushing Yuri’s arm up and around his shoulder to help stabilize him. Despite his mumbling and grumbling about being able to walk on his own Yuri didn’t pull away.

Walking into the inn, soaked to the bone and Yuri nearly collapsing on himself, it was no wonder they attracted some stairs.

The person behind the front desk asked Raven if they needed to call a healer.

“I can use some healing artes, it’ll be alright.” He assures, but even in his muddled state Yuri can hear how it sounds somewhat like a plea.

They keep walking through, Raven taking care to help Yuri through the door once they arrive at it. The contact feels too hot, even soaked to the bone, he still feels so damn hot. It’s like there’s a burning in his stomach, in his head, everything feels too strong. This had to be some kind of poison, he knew it.

Getting in the room, he flung himself onto the bed, body heavy, hot, he couldn’t even speak to try and convey the feeling.

'Am I going to die…?’

The fear crawled into his stomach and proceeded to stay there. It hurt. Everything was so hot and horrible and he couldn’t see straight or even think. Suddenly, there were hands on him. Who…? Oh, it was just Raven.

He could feel the man sit him up, slipping off his wet clothes until he was just in his boxers.

“...” Was Raven saying something? He could hear a noise but couldn’t figure out what it was. God, this was bad. This was so bad. How did he let himself get this bad?

A new warmth enveloped him, but not a blistering warmth. It was a gentle glow, a pleasant wave of sunshine. Looking up, he found that it was Raven’s healing arte. No...he couldn’t be using that...his blastia…

“You’ll die if you overdo it…” Yuri could finally manage to mutter out, making a vague and sloppy gesture towards the man’s heart.

He got a small laugh in response, the noise sounding distorted but still so incredibly wonderful and pleasant. Since when did Raven have such a nice laugh? He always thought it was so crude, so fitting for an old pervert, but now it was as though he had the voice of an angel. Was he an angel? Without him Yuri would have surely been dead or horribly paralyzed.

“I’ll be just fine. You’re the bigger priority here.” Raven carded his fingers through Yuri’s soaked wet hair, spraying it across the bed in some effort to help it dry. Now that he could get a better look, he noticed that Raven also had his own hair down. He looked so...strange. He could only think of Schwann when Raven had his hair down. The fear in his eyes, the plead for death. Yuri couldn’t help but pull himself closer into Raven’s stomach, considering that was all he could grab of the standing man.

“Yuri?” There was real and genuine shock in his voice, Yuri could tell plain as day.

“I need to finish healing you, the poison will wear off soon but I can’t-” Raven tried to reason with the swordsman but he wasn’t moving. A sigh showed that he had conceded. “I suppose I’ll have no choice but to join you on the bed, then.” There was that bastard’s skeevy side, but Yuri didn’t have enough energy to make some banter about it or argue.

Raven stripped of his armor and hunter’s garb, left only in his pants and leg garters, and slipped into bed. Even with the obvious intent, Yuri made no effort to get closer to the man.

“You’re gonna be stubborn, huh?” Raven asked, though it was clear there was no need to answer.

Without much effort at all, Raven proceeded to pick the swordsman up -not unlike a cat- and placed him in his lap. He resumed his efforts on healing the boy, the same gentle light covering the both of them. If Yuri were actually a cat, he would have most certainly been purring at that point.

“Cute…” Yuri can hear Raven mutter under his breath, and looking up he can see a heavy blush on the man’s face.

“I’m not-” Is all Yuri can protest before he’s brought even closer into Raven’s embrace. It’s so incredibly embarrassing and yet he can’t find the strength to pull away. In fact, he’s not even sure he wants to. He gets that same feeling like before, like this is something he’s supposed to be doing.

This was all too sudden, and yet he wasn't pulling away.

This stupid, stupid idiot ran away for two years and suddenly shows up and has the audacity to do something like this? Even when they were traveling together Raven was always a Character of sorts, doing what he wanted on a whim that may not have even been his own, but this… this was just cruel.

“Yuri, oh, jeez, oh, what's wrong? Whatcha crying for?” He couldn't hold back the tears. This was all too much.

“Hey now, hey… Raven’s gonna take good care of ya. You're not going to die or anything, don't worry.” He continued playing with Yuri's hair, trying his best to calm the boys nerves. It was no use though, it was wrong. It was all so wrong and Yuri shouldn't have been even feeling this way and yet here he was. Blubbering like a baby and crying over a man who shouldn't have mattered, who had left without so much as a word.

He wanted to blame it on the poison but that would only get him so far.

“You’re an idiot…” Is all Yuri can manage, and he hates how pathetic and disgusting his voice sounds. This is all so stupid. He shouldn’t be acting like this, he was a grown ass adult and had no reason to be acting like a little teenager with a broken heart. And yet he couldn’t stop himself or how he felt.

“I know.” Raven mutters, holding Yuri even tighter than before, burying his face in the swordsman’s hair.

“I’m an idiot and a coward, and I ran from my feelings until it was too much to bear.” It hurts. “I’m a dead man walking, I shouldn’t be allowed to feel this sort of thing.” He avoids the word that Yuri is so terrified of, and it almost makes him relax. Everything about this is too much, and the heat in his gut is starting to return.

“What happens next then?” Yuri asks, trying his best to return to a rational and calm state of mind. “What happens when your heart-”

“I don’t know. I don’t know, Yuri. I don’t know how I’ve managed this long.” This time it’s Yuri’s turn to cling tight to him.

It hurts.

How long does he have with Raven? How can he even be here anymore?

The heat in his chest is hot, unbearable. Everything feels so strange and he can smell so much of Raven and it’s too much. This is all too much.

Without thinking, Yuri reaches forward, touching the man’s ‘heart’. It doesn’t beat, doesn’t pulse, but he can feel a dull warmth from the object. It feels so strange to the touch, and Raven makes a strange noise in response. Looking at the man, his expression is strange, face flushed but so incredibly scared.

“Your life is still in my hands, you know.” Yuri mumbles, head swimming with the heat of the poison.

“I know.” Is all Raven can say, voice hushed, breath heavy.

“Can I…?”

“What are you…?”

Yuri plants a soft kiss to the blastia and Raven nearly loses it at the sight. Something like that… it really was too much to handle. How could a grown man be so, so, so cute?

“You’re still sick, right?” Raven asks, as kind as he can. The wavering in his voice is obvious, and looking up Yuri can see something along the lines of tears forming in his eyes. He shrugs in response, knowing that Raven can likely feel his ridiculous body heat enough to get an answer.

“Get some rest.” He pushes Yuri back onto the bed ever so gently, pulling the blanket up over him.

“No funny bus’ness you hear?” Slurring words and out of his mind ill, and that’s the first thing he thinks of. Oh, the faith he had in his companion. It was astounding, really.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short chapter but eh

“Morning.” It’s early morning when Yuri rises from his slumber. From the dreary and noncompliant look on his face it’s clear he still has fully registered consciousness. “Feeling any better today?”

“Huh…?”

“You awake in there?”

“Oh, yeah. I’m fine. Let’s get uh,” Yuri stumbled back as soon as he tried to stand up fully. “We need to get back to Dahngrest with that…” Even though he tried to power through it, he could still feel the effects of the poison in his veins. His head was still swimming horribly and he could still feel his brain trying to work on overdrive. And just when had Raven gotten so close to him? Or was he always…?

"I don’t think we’ll be able to make it back with you in this kind of condition…” Raven tries to reason.

“We need to.” Yuri insists.

A deep sigh falls from Raven’s lips. Who is he to argue with the boy?

“Fine. But I’m staying close to you in case anything happens.” He is nothing short of demanding Yuri knows he won't be able to argue him out of it.  


“Suit yourself…” Yuri tries to brush himself down, appear as though he’s not burning up from a fever not to mention who-knows-what kind of toxins. From a stranger’s standpoint, he may have seemed alright.

Raven knew otherwise and insisted on staying within two yards of the swordsman at all times.

They check out of the inn, pay their tab, and make towards the guild city. It’s a long trip, but more or less uneventful. Yuri manages to keep his head above water, the heat of the poison not draining him enough to pull him back into the state he was at the previous night. It also helped that Raven was stealth-healing him at any chance he could get. If Yuri had noticed it, he didn’t say anything.

By the time they reached Dahngrest, Yuri was a mess.

“Let’s get you some rest.” Raven insisted.

“I’m… I’m fine…” He’s still standing, can still clutch his sword, but there is no way on Terca Lumeris that he could even pass for ‘fine’ by any standard.

“Come on, you head to the inn, I’ll go ahead and deliver this. Who is it for?” He placed his hands on Yuri’s shoulders gently, too gentle, too kind. Yuri could feel a wave of heat erupt from the touch and it was nearly unbearable. Everything started to spin, but he couldn’t falter now. They were almost to the inn and he could collapse there if need be.

Yuri rattled off the information for the client, trying his best to cover up just how fucking terrible he was feeling.

How long would this persist? Surely the poison would have cycled out of him by now. Then again, it had only been a day. Perhaps it was one of those awful long-lasting toxins. If that were the case he needed to get back to Estelle and fast. He couldn’t keep this up.

“I’ll be right back, get yourself to the inn, okay?” Raven ushers him towards the door and Yuri can only barely register what he’s saying.

“Okay.” The two part ways and Yuri makes for the door.

Walking in, he’s thankful that the place is deserted save from the front desk attendee.

“Looks like the drinking crowds early tonight…” He can hear the man mutter but pays it no mind. If he were the outsider in this scenario he would have likely thought the same thing. Still doesn't make it any less annoying, though.  


“Room for two, one night stay.” Is all Yuri can manage, and pulls out his wallet and slaps a bill down that should likely cover the tab. He gets change back with his keys and walks the distance to his room with one hand on the wall for stability. This is bad, this is so bad.

Is he going to die if he keeps this up?

He gets inside the room, locks the door behind him, and can only manage to get his shoes off before collapsing onto the bed.

This was so bad.

“Fuck…” Yuri can’t hardly see straight, but he manages to strip of his clothes and slide under the blankets. It takes him forever to do such a simple act but he eventually manages.

This is the worst.

Hopefully it wouldn’t take long for them to get back to Estelle, otherwise he wouldn’t make it at this pace. It wasn’t long before darkness took hold of him and he fell unconscious.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is so fuckin 'get from point a to point b' and im sorry

“-ri...Yuri!” A hand on his chest, firm, violent, shaking. Yuri shot up, forehead coming into quick contact with Raven’s own. The two fell apart, both clutching at their heads. “Ah, ow...Damn…” Raven muttered to himself.

“God, what is it old man?” Yuri snapped, only barely able to see him from how dark the room was.

“We need to get going.” Raven tries to usher the boy out of bed but is met with unyielding stubbornness.

“Why? What time is it, even?”

“Ah, I’d say around 2 in the morning. But we need to be going.” There’s a strange sincerity to Raven’s voice, almost as though he’s trying to be nice about something. He probably started shit with the wrong person at the bar. Typical.

“Alright, help me up.”

Raven couldn’t have been happier to help, even going so far as to grab Yuri’s shoes for him. He’d have been lying if he said he wasn’t grateful, but this whole thing seemed weird. To be leaving this late at night… it was almost like Raven was afraid of something? As if that was possible. The only thing the man was afraid of was commitment and Rita’s cooking.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s, uh, nothing you really need to concern yourself with, personally.” The archer tries to talk faster than usual, his accent thick and uncomfortable on the tongue. “Just wanted to hurry on up and get back to Brave Vesperia.” It’s a lie, but Yuri realizes now that he’s not going to get any further information from him.

He lets himself get rushed out the door, down the stairs, and into the nightlife of the city.

The air in Dahngrest is somewhat cold at night, the ocean being so close that it makes for mild summers. In fact, it still felt like early spring to the swordsman, but that was mostly due to not coming this way so often. Having their own town, Brave Vesperia rarely traveled as a team all the way out to the guild capitol anymore.

It’s when they’re almost out of town that Yuri notices something - Raven was holding his hand. At first he figured it was just so he could keep up with a faster pace without falling, because being as delirious as he was it wouldn’t have surprised him much, but by now the two of them had slowed down and yet. There they were. Holding hands.

‘What should I…?’ Yuri begins to ask himself, unsure entirely of himself.

Even with how adamant he was about not giving Raven anything, he doesn’t find himself pulling away.

‘It’s the fever. That’s it.’ Yuri assures himself, but still doesn’t pull away.

By the time they’re out of Dahngrest and into the dark of night, Raven finally pulls away. “Sorry…” He mutters, but it’s not genuine in the slightest. The old man’s face was fully flushed, though. Somewhat adorable, considering how this was the most chaste forms of - wait. Adorable? Yuri shook the thought out of his head entirely.

“We need to head back through the harbor again.” Yuri says, trying to stay focused on the task at hand. “Then we can make our way back through Illycia and back to Brave Vesperia.”

“We’ll make it back just fine, don’t worry.”

“Who’s worried? Speak for yourself, old man.”

They don’t speak much the rest of the trip back to Capua Torrim. It’s a long wait for the ferry to come to, but they board it first thing, finding it to be otherwise deserted.

“Guess nobody else is up at this hour, huh?” Yuri comments, tired out of his mind, not to mention developing a type of sea-sickness on top of his poisoning. This was starting to get tiring. He would kill to be able to sleep this shit off for a week straight. Not like he’d be allowed that much reprieve.

“Just had to get out of there is all.” It’s quiet, but Yuri can still hear the old man over the boat’s engine, over the rush of the waves. His voice is nothing short of apologetic and disgusted. Whether it’s at himself or whatever he encountered is unknown. “Couldn’t stay in that city any longer than that.”

“Did something… happen?” Yur is cautious, not sure if this is even something he wants to ask.

“It’s nothing big just, ah, didn’t care for the patronage there, I suppose.” Both of them know Raven is being vague on purpose, and Yuri’s got half a mind to try and press him on it. He knows it won’t get him anywhere, though, and leaves it be.

“Well, we’re not there anymore.” Is all he can say.

"Yeah…” Raven is visibly shaken. Something happened in Dahngrest, and Yuri knows it, and Raven knows that he knows it. It’s almost insufferable.

By the time they depart the ship and start heading back it’s early morning.

They stop by the town’s market to grab something quick to eat and make for the town’s entrance. By this time, Yuri is still wobbly and nauseous, but not so much that he feels he’s about to pass out.

“Maybe the poison’s going away on it’s own? Or maybe I did just get sick, considering we were out traveling in the cold rain.” Yuri comments, and is honestly so glad that he no longer feels that horrible heat in his gut.

“Maybe so. Glad all my love could make you feel better, too.” Raven says, one eye closed, cheeky grin plastered to his face.

“You wish.” Yuri spats, walking a bit faster to pretend-ditch the old man.

“Ack! Come on, now!” He runs after him in suit.

The two go back and forth with banter for a large majority of their trek back home, stopping in silence every now and then to slay monsters that have blocked their path. In all honesty, Yuri can’t help but feel good about this. It feels normal, even natural, to have Raven at his side like this. But… he knows this sort of feeling doesn’t mean anything good. With his luck, the moment they arrive back in town Raven’s going to pull some stunt and run off the the other side of the world again.

The thought it daunting, but they make it home in one piece regardless.


	7. Chapter 7

“Raven!!” Karol is ecstatic to see the old man.

Even being so much more grown up now, nearly up to Yuri’s height actually, Karol still has the heart of a young boy. It’s what’s made him such a motivating leader. The heart of a idealist, mixed with the skills of a warrior and the mindset of a real tactician.

“Oof! Hey there, kiddo. Good to see you’ve gotten along well without ol’ Raven, huh?” The boy is practically bawling into Raven’s chest, yelling about how stupid the archer is for running off alone, and this and that. It’s hard to decipher through the tears.

“Karol, where’s Estelle?” Yuri butts in, still feeling off from the poison.

“She’s with Rita, they should be at their house.” Karol pipes up, not letting Raven go in the slightest.

“Alright, keep the old man occupied. I’m going to need to talk to him after I talk to Estelle.” The comment sounds almost like a threat towards Raven. ‘You run away and I will hunt you down’ is the tone, and with the way Raven gulps, the message is understand clear as day.

-

“Yuri, how are y...You’re injured!” Estelle remarks, already in the process of raising her hands to cast Recover.

“Yeah, had a rough job. Went to go kill a monster and got poisoned in the process. Thankfully the old man was there or I may have been in some serious trouble...” Yuri trails off, not wanting to think about how awful it would have gone without Raven there to help. Without his aid in fighting, his efforts to heal the boy back into health, his guiding hand...he may not have made it. The thought doesn't sit well in him and he'd rather just expunge it from his mind.  


“...Old man? Oh! Raven’s here?!” Estelle’s eyes light up, her excitement getting the best of her.

It takes a moment but she finishes casting Recover. A feeling of warmth passes over Yuri, just like when Raven had been healing him. Pleasant warmth, like a ray of sunshine.

It feels so good to be at his best again.

“Thanks, Estelle.”

“Of course. But you said that Raven was back?” Her eyes are obvious and hopeful. She missed the old man, maybe not as much as Karol, but she did consider him family.

“Yeah, I’ve got Karol keeping him under house-arrest. Where’s Rita at? I’m sure she’d love to see him, too.”

“Oh, she’s off on a job with Judith. They said they’d be back later today.” Estelle says, fidgeting excitedly at the hem of her shirt. A spark shines in her eyes for a moment. “Oh! I know! Why don’t we throw a big party tonight! Like a welcome-back party for Raven! I’m sure everyone would love it.” Ah, Estelle, excited and peppy as always. Yuri can only stare on in wonder and amazement. She really was incredible.

“Yeah, that sounds great. We could get the whole town involved, too. Everyone’s been working really hard, so it’s only natural to want to have fun.” Yuri says, and he’d be lying if he wasn’t the slightest bit excited for something like this.

A party, huh? How long had it been since he’d last had one?

Come to think of it, the last one he can really remember is right after they had finished their journey, and that was bittersweet at best. And then shortly after, Raven disappeared.

Thinking back, he can still remember the feeling of dread. The thought that the old man had gone and kicked the bucket on them.

But that wasn’t true. That wasn’t the case. He was here and he was real and-

“Estelle, my darling, how’ve you been?” He was here, it would seem.

The girl perked up at the comment, practically running to give Raven a hug. He got knocked back a bit with an ‘oof’, but still held on strong.

“Good to see you too, doll.” The pet names irked Yuri, but he couldn’t figure out why. Rather, didn’t  _ want _ to figure out why. “So, I couldn’t help but overhearing something about a party?”

“Yeah, a little something to celebrate you not dying on us.”

“I should be saying that to you, Yuri.” Raven is all tooth and grin, one of his  _ looks _ on his face.

“Huh?”

“This boy almost died out there, poisoned and fevered, I so-very-graciously helped him and healed his wounds, it was-”

“Yeah, yeah, we get it, old man. Now do you want your party or no?” Yuri interrupts his spiel, and Raven gives him a hurt looks, clutching his chest as though he had been wounded. The old man was honestly too dramatic for his own good.

“Hey, I never said I didn’t want anything!”

“Hahaha! It’s so nice seeing the two of you getting along like this. It’s been lonely without you around, Raven. I’m glad you could find your way home.” Estelle was truly a sweet girl, her voice so sincere and honest. The words seemed to resonate in Raven for a moment, his eyes widening a bit in disbelief.

“Home…?” He seems shocked at the words. Perhaps he had never considered his lack of home to be an issue, or maybe he was just amazed at the true open arms of the girl. Either way, he seemed like he may have cried right then and there.  


“I’m going to go talk to Karol and get things prepared. How about the two of you go and rest at Yuri’s place? I’m sure you’re both tired from your job, we can handle the preparations.” Without much of a ‘goodbye’ she’s off on her way. The two of them don’t take long to leave, heading to Yuri’s place like she had insisted. His house is more or less still in the main district of the town, right outside of the main plaza they had built for markets and the like.  


In the distance they can see Estelle and Karol talking to some members of the guild, and from the excitement on Karol’s face it’s pretty obvious what of.

“They really are just kids, huh?” Yuri comments, drained from the day.

Just traveling seemed to exhaust him as of late.

“Yeah, though you’re not much older yourself.”

“I’m already 23, yknow.” Yuri unlocks his front door, letting the two of them in.

“Again. Not much older.”

“Oh shut it, or I’ll kick you out.”

“You would  _ never _ .” He places a hand to his forehead, mimicking some kind of fair-maiden act. It gets the point across just fine and Yuri can’t help but laugh at it.

It was nice seeing the old man in good spirits again.

Everything about this seemed so… right.

Yuri couldn't quite put a finger on exactly what it was that he was feeling, the closest thing he was willing to admit was relief. They had gotten home safely, the gang was happy to see Raven just as he was happy to see them. Everything went just fine, all things considered.

And yet he couldn't let himself fully relax.


	8. Chapter 8

“Is this really the best course of action?” Yuri finds himself asking, staring out the window towards the festival preparations. “Nothing about this feels…” He stops himself, knowing full well that talking to himself would only lend him to those that would eavesdrop.

Everything about this was so strange. It was like Raven hadn’t been gone more than a few days on some job, but it had been so long. For him to just come back like nothing ever happened and wiggle his way back into Yuri’s life like it was something normal, it was just so cruel. He had worried the lot of them for so long, and yet here he was. And to top it all of there was still that confession he had dropped on Yuri’s lap. Talk about a headache.

How was he supposed to react to this?

It was when Rita started letting off the fireworks that he knew it was really time for the party to start.

He walked outside, enjoying the darkness that had overtaken the town, the brightness that lit from the streetlamps. It was pleasant out, and from where most of the townspeople were gathered he could only hear joyous laughter and chatter. Truly, this was home.

“It’s nice of them, huh?”

Yuri shot back a step. Just how long had Raven been there?

“Easy there. Just me.” Raven extended a hand to Yuri’s shoulder, stopping him mid-pull of his sword. Instincts always seemed to kick in when the poor boy was startled.

The look Yuri gives him makes him pull his hand back.

“Sorry…” He’s sheepish, doesn’t know what’s gotten into him.

Actually, he knows exactly what it is and exactly why Raven’s here and this is all so incredibly stupid of the both of them. This little escapade of theirs, what was it supposed to prove? Yuri brought him along since it’d be better than leaving him behind -as if he would ever listen to the command ‘sit’ anyway- but this was all… it was too much. It was stupid. It was so wrong, so incredibly wrong, and yet every advance the man made at him was… fine. He didn’t have a problem with it, and that’s what the biggest problem was. He shouldn’t have let himself get so close to the man and yet here he was.

He tries his best to avoid the line of thought, it wouldn’t end well.

“So, uh, you never did tell me what the issue was in Dahngrest.” It's not quite an accusation, but Raven still straightens his back at the comment nonetheless. It almost felt like kicking the man while he was down what with the look it granted him, but the words left his lips before he himself fully registered what he was saying. "Y'know, fleeing the city in the middle of the night and all that."

“Just uh, couldn't see myself there any longer is all.” His answer leaves Yuri feeling guilty.

It must have been from what happened to the Don, about Raven leaving Altosk.

“See someone you knew?”

“Just the grave of one.” Yuri can feel the guilt trip like a knife to the gut.

“Raven, I'm -”

'I'm sorry’ he wants to say, but the words get caught in his throat.

“You wanna come join the others? They’re waiting for you, ya know.” Raven interrupts, and Yuri can feel his stomach lodge itself in his throat. This is the worst feeling, yet the archer seems to pay it no mind.

“Yeah, let’s go together.” Is all Yuri can manage, trying his best to bring his poker face back. It only works so well, and he knows Raven can see the faltering on his face.

The group is happy to see them, Karol chatters at them a mile-a-minute, Estelle is excited about the fireworks, and Judith only looks on with a surprised but knowing look. Seems she came back just in time for the party, what exceptional timing she had.

Yuri watches on as Raven talks to the kids over the blasting sound of the fireworks. From the side, Judith approaches. She smiles at him, kind yet mischievous.

“It seems we’ve been reunited with our lost family.” Judith remarks, quiet enough that the rest won’t hear their conversation.

“Came crawling back after two wholes years, Judy. What am I supposed to do with him?” He’s exasperated with the situation at best and Judith can tell.

“What do you want to do?” It’s a question she asked to Estelle so many times, something to push them towards what they wanted to do. Just what did Yuri want to do? “Will he receive punishment for abandoning his life debt, or will he be pardoned?”

“Judy he-” _confessed to me_. He can’t finish the thought, can’t say it aloud by any means.

“I know.” She’s so perceptive, so incredible, and Yuri is as scared as ever by her. “But what is it that you want to do?”

“If it were only up to me...God, I don’t know.” Yuri can feel his throat drying up. He had been asking himself the same question, yet still didn’t know an answer.

“Are you scared to think it?” She’s got that prying voice of hers that Yuri can’t help but get irked by. Of course Judith was right, though. Judith was always right about these sorts of things. Didn’t make it any better.

“...Who gave you the right to get inside my head?” He sighed, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Haha, you’re just an easy read when you’re flustered like this.”

“Flustered?!” Yuri sputtered out. “Now you’re just making stuff up.”

“Maybe I am.” There she was again with that coy grin of hers. Honestly the girl was so nonchalant it was hard to think she was a devil, but when she got like this… maybe she really was. Too easy-going, that’s for sure.

“Judy.”

“Lighten up a little, hmm? You could do with a drink with an old friend.” She gives him a genuine smile for once in this encounter, offering a light pat to his shoulder. “Go get em, tiger.”

“Fine, fine.”

-

Raven is still playing with the kids and their fireworks by the time Yuri works up the nerve to speak with him. Well, maybe not  _ kids _ but with the way Karol and Rita got excited over sparklers they might as well have been 10 again. It was honestly rather endearing to see the lot of them like this again. Just like a family…

“Hey, old man.” Yuri calls to him, trying to speak up over the noise.

“Oh!” He turns to look at him, a smile plastered wide on his face. “What’s up?”

“You want to get a drink with me? Figured we could both use it after the last couple of days we’ve had.” This entire thing seems so weird to Yuri, but he tries to subdue the feeling as best as he can. After all, this was all just a normal occurrence. He was just a friend asking another friend for a drink. That was it. Or at least, that’s all he wanted it to come off as.

Judith could see through him like he was transparent, though. And if Judith could, then Raven no doubt would be able to.

“A drink? Sure, I don’t see why not. Hey now, kiddies, your old uncle Raven’s gonna go now-”

“Yeah okay go have fun.” Rita didn’t even look up from the sparklers.

“Ouch, that hurts!” Raven pretended to be mortally wounded, clutching his heart. Such a drama queen, honestly.

Yuri started to walk off already and the archer had to jog to catch up with him. Seeing the old man in such good spirits honestly cheered Yuri up. It was nice.

“Alright, Yuri, where to?”

“How about we just head to my place. I’m not feeling the crowds right now.” It’s not entirely a lie, but Yuri knows the truth is sprinkled oh-so-nicely on top. This whole thing was just an excuse to get a real answer out of Raven. It was a stupid plan from start to finish, but he’d be damned if he wasn’t going to figure out how they stood.

“That’s fair.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woops forgot this chapter had an additional section OTL


	9. Chapter 9

The two were about two glasses in by the time they truly got into the meat of the discussion. There was only so much dodging they could do around the subject before it made itself known.

Yuri brought him to his own home to discuss it after all.

It was a nice little house, too. Nothing too fancy but still a decent enough size with a cozy loft where he and Repede slept. The dog was already up there, having acquainted himself with Raven once more. It truly was a nice little bachelor's home, if Yuri had to be honest. Raven seemed rather fond of it too, having thrown his hunting gear next to the doorway and made himself comfy on one of Yuri’s living room couches.

It's when Yuri makes for his glass once more and collides his hand into Raven’s that he finally steels himself to ask what he's been meaning to.

“Hey, Raven, I’ve been meaning to ask, but I, uh-” He’s faltering like a damn idiot and if he hadn’t already started this he would have stopped himself while he was ahead. Raven doesn’t seem to mind, just looks on, intrigued. Perhaps he already knows what Yuri’s going to ask.

“Hmm?” God he was infuriating.

“What...are we?” It's simple and it gets the job done. But like hell if it wasn't awkward as all get out and uncomfortable to sit in the aftermath of.

“Well, we’re friends, ain’t we?” From the blush on Raven's face it's clear he's not being completely truthful. This was playing right into his hand, he had been so adamant about all of this, so sure he would refuse Raven forever. And yet here he was.

“You know damn well what I mean, Raven.” There is no amusement in his voice, only irritation and embarrassment.

“What are we, huh? Just a couple of fools running from themselves, I’d say. I mean, considering how I deserted you all for two years, ran from all of this just to serve my own self-destruction and desire for loneliness and self-pity. It’s pretty pathetic on my part, I’ll be honest.” His words cut harsh like a knife. So clearly Yuri wasn't the only one with grievances towards the man. Perhaps Raven had done enough of that for the two of them. 

He doesn’t look at Yuri, only stares absently into his drink.

Yuri wasn't exactly in the mindset for punishing the poor fool for running off. At least not now. All he wanted was an answer. All he wanted was to know what he should be feeling.

“Not to mention that you came back just to mess with my head and fill it with weird thoughts.” Yuri tries to keep his voice down but he's so damn irritated and drunk that it's tough.

“Weird thoughts?” this comes as a surprise to Raven, so much so that he even sits up, sets his glass down.

"Every time you’re near me I feel like,” Yuri tries to stop himself, tries to run from the feeling. It’s such a scary idea and he can’t seem to catch his breath. “I feel like I don’t want to create a distance. By all means, I should, but I don't.”

“...” Raven doesn't dare look at him.

“I’m not used to uncertainty. I’m not used to faltering. I’m supposed to know what I want and how to achieve it, no matter the sacrifice. And yet this…” He can feel the awful blush forming on his face, yet can't do anything to stop it. “I can’t seem to figure out what I’m supposed to do.”

Raven gets up for a moment, walks over to the couch that Yuri is seated, and slowly sits down next to him. It feels as though every movement is like walking on eggshells.

“Is it because you're not used to being allowed to want things?” Raven asks, a nervousness in his voice.

Yuri runs a hand through his hair, sighing deep.

“I guess so.”

“Well then, how about I close the distance until you're comfortable.” At this, Raven looks up at him, a gentleness to his eyes. “I'll make sure to give you whatever you want.” There’s a seductive undertone to his voice, Yuri could recognize that same voice from every time he would talk to any pretty lady that crossed his path. Talk about shameless.

Still, something about it was different, though he couldn’t pinpoint just what.

“This kind of closeness… will you be alright?” Yuri makes a gesture to his own heart. For as much as the old man boasted about women and the sort he really had never seen him slink off to any sleazy love hotels, even when they were on their quest to save the world. If anything it seemed a little strange in hindsight. Perhaps he had always harbored this sort of thing? Or maybe it was all due to his Cadis Blastia that he didn’t want to overexert himself?

“My health is fine, but my heart…” he paused, drama gone from his voice and a seriousness etched into his face. “Be gentle with it.”

No one man had the right to be this cute, especially at his age.

Yuri was the one to close the gap. He grabbed Raven by the collar, pulling him none too gently into an even rougher kiss. To say it was good would be an overstatement. But for the two drunken idiots, both of whom hadn’t seen anyone like that in God knows how long, it was something bordering on magical.

Parting for just a moment to catch their breath, Yuri couldn’t help but notice the cologne on Raven, the heat of his breath, the pure need in the man’s grip on his arm. It was all so overwhelming and Yuri could feel himself getting lost in the feeling.

“Whatever happened to 'I’m not gonna kiss you’, hmm?” Cheeky grin and flushed face, Raven was cocky as ever. 

If anything, the fact that the both of them could be so relaxed was a good indicator that Yuri was making an alright decision. Well, there were other physical indicators as well but Yuri felt it more prudent to keep his eyes up.

“One more word and I'm kicking you out and you'll never get another chance.” It’s all for show, and both of them know it.

Raven decides to shut the both of them up by grabbing Yuri and practically forcing the swordsman on top of him. It’s a strange maneuver for a couch but they make it work somehow. Like this, Yuri’s hair drapes down, some of it getting on Raven’s face though he doesn’t seem to mind. If anything he seems to enjoy it dearly, what with the way he’s become starstruck.

“You really do march to your own rhythm, huh Yuri?” His voice is somber, quiet.

“What do you mean?”

Raven slides a hand down Yuri’s side, gently but so very intentional. He wants to give the swordsman shivers, and he’s almost successful in his efforts. At the very least he can feel a heat creeping back onto his face. These sorts of things were supposed to be embarrassing, weren’t they? And yet Raven didn’t seem to care in the slightest.

“You reject me, then the next day you’re doing this. You just want what you want and don’t hesitate to get it, do you?” He pulls Yuri down, meeting him halfway for a kiss.

Yuri gives in to the feeling, letting Raven do as he wants for the moment. It’s the least he can do to make up for his indecisiveness. Well, that all wasn’t really his fault but he’d rather give Raven what he wanted than not. The man seemed to have that sort of effect on him.

It’s only when the hand on Yuri’s side goes further south that he begins to have problems with giving Raven what he wants.

“Is my ass really that nice that you can’t help yourself?”

“What can I say? I’m something of an ass-man.” Raven’s blatant honesty is almost worse than if he had been lying.

If Yuri’s face got any redder he may pass out.

“Maybe we should take this to your bedroom, huh? I’m sure it’s far more comfortable than your couch.” Raven suggests, voice low and seductive. If Yuri were any normal human being he’s sure that would have worked wonders on him, but as it is he’s not, and it’s all too embarrassing and fast for him.

“What about the rest of the group? What if they come looking for you?” Yuri tries to reason. “I mean I know Karol wanted to spend some time with you and-” It’s all just excuses and the both of them know it.

“Well, just tell the truth; Daddy’s busy drinking.” Raven smirks.

If Yuri was red before he’s on fire now.

“Sh-shut up, old man! Fine, I’ll lock the front door, you go up there.” Yuri stomps off towards the front door and waits for Raven to slink off upstairs to finish locking the door.

‘Who does he think he is…?! Stupid, god damn-’ He’s entirely unsure as to why he’s letting this happen, and yet he’s still here, still going along with all of it.

Just before heading upstairs himself he takes a moment to down the rest of his glass.

Maybe, just maybe, this won’t end in disaster.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yuri gets a little ooc here but he's already been ooc for like half of this fic so if you could tolerate it to this point this isn't any worse

To say Raven was toned was an understatement. Years of serving in the military, years of playing imperial knight, years of playing guild member, and lastly years of playing hunter all lead to an incredibly toned body. It was covered with scars of any and every kind, yet the man had little to say about them.

“You’re really that interested in that?” He can only stare on, bewildered.

“I never really realized your body was like this. It’s kinda…” Yuri trails off, hand touching another old and healed scar.

“Sad?” Raven offers.

“Impressive.”

“I don’t really see it, but y'know what, I’ll take it.” Raven mutters, becoming somewhat uncomfortable at the praise.

The two had ended up somewhat undressed in Yuri’s bedroom loft, Raven with only his pants on, Yuri still having most of his clothes on but his shirt opened in the front. All traces of armor were gone, fortunately, having been thrown to the floor much to Repede’s annoyance. The dog didn’t seem to care much for what was happening and just slept it off.

“Is this okay?” Yuri asks, quiet as he can.

This was such a strange situation.

Raven owed his life to Yuri just as much as Yuri now owed his life to Raven. Even in the monopoly of life debts, Yuri still knew he came out on top. After all, a life debt didn’t mean anything to the dead man. He knew Raven didn’t care, and honestly it’s amazing he managed to keep himself alive the two years he had been gone.

“Whatever you want, Yuri, I want to give it to you.” Raven is serious, hands gripping to the swordsman’s as though he has nothing left. For what it’s worth, Yuri returns the grip.

“Your life is still mine, you know.”

Even with how serious it is, Raven still laughs a little.

“I know.”

“By all accounts, you are mine.” Dead serious, and yet Raven doesn’t falter the smile on his face. If he wanted to, Yuri could kill the man right there, but he doesn’t, he won’t, he would never.

“I know.”

Butterflies make home inside of Yuri’s gut, and he can’t help but feel nauseous.

“You’re okay with that?”

“I would love to belong to only you, Yuri.” Raven pulls Yuri on top of himself fully, arms tight around the boy. Even now, he can feel the soft hum of the man’s blastia, of his heart. It’s cold on his chest but he cherishes the feeling. This raw form of openness, commitment, it was unlike anything Yuri thought the man capable of.

“What do we tell the others?” This wasn’t anything Yuri had been anticipating.

“Whatever the truth is.”

“Whatever it is, huh?” Yuri echoes, unsure of himself. “You thinking you’re gonna get somewhere tonight then?”

“Was that not what you pulled me aside for?”

“Ah, well-” The blush on Yuri’s face gives him away.

“How’s about this,” With very little effort Raven manages to reverse their positions and slam Yuri on his back. “I do everything I can for you, and if it becomes too much, just say the word.” His voice is kind, calm, but so incredibly charming that Yuri has a hard time forming a response.

“Uh, oh, yeah, sure.”

Raven pulls Yuri’s shirt the rest of the way off, planting kisses along his collarbone as he goes. Even though he tries to hide it, Raven can still hear the little hitches in Yuri’s voice with each kiss.

It’s when Raven begins to bite down that Yuri really becomes vocal.

Just a hickey, and yet Yuri’s groaning and mumbling into Raven’s hair. If anything, it was pretty damn adorable. The poor boy was practically drooling on himself by the time he was done, a small line of red blots freckling his collar.

May have been a bad idea to have them out in the open like that, but Raven loved the idea of embarrassing him.

“You sure are getting worked up easily, huh?”

“It’s not my fault…” Yuri mumbles something under his breath and Raven can’t hear it over the sound of fireworks still going off in the distance.

“What was that? I couldn't hear you.” He even says it in a sing-song voice, the bastard.

“I said it’s not my fault I’ve never done this before.” He’s indignant, angry, but that would most likely be the youthful inexperience talking. Ah, to think, Raven would get to be his first? The man could truly go to heaven happy now. Well, maybe not heaven, but still.

Yuri, however, was not nearly as much of a happy camper.

“Wait, never?” He tries teasing the boy but only gets a glare in response.

“Not with a guy, no.”

“Well, you’ve been with a girl, right?”

“It didn’t really go that far, she gave me a blowjob but that was it.”

“Well then how’s about I do the same?” Raven moves his hand to palm over Yuri’s crotch, finding it hard and at-attention. Even through pants, Raven can tell just what he’s getting himself into and practically melts at the thought.

“I don’t know…” Yuri tries to stall for time, uncomfortable for god-knows-why.

“You okay?” Raven sits up, offers Yuri a seat next to him. It takes him a moment but he does move, hand on his collar and staring absently towards the wall.

“I don’t know.” This is all too much. He doesn’t know how to convey to Raven what he needs, what he fears. Everything was always just on an as-needed basis for him, but even now, why couldn’t he just say what he needed?!

“Do we need to stop?”

He hates this feeling.

“I-”

“Hmm?”

“I don’t want you running off again. I can’t let you do something like this and disappear again.”

“Yuri, is that what your hesitations all about?”

“If you run off and die on us, you’ll break all of their hearts, and none of us will ever forgive you, old man.”

‘I’ll never forgive you.’ Is what he wants to say, but can’t bring himself to. Raven knows that.

“I’m not going to run away anymore.” Raven tries to reassure, but even he’s finding it hard to convince himself. “As long as you’ll have this rotten old man for... I’ll stay.”

“Then stay.” Yuri pulls him in close, too close, it hurts, and he knows this isn't meant to last, but he needs this warmth more than anything else. He can't bring himself to say what he means, how he feels, how dearly the man means to him, but he knows he's understood. Every feeling, every touch, it is nothing if not out of love.

Raven surrenders himself to Yuri, completely and entirely.

**Author's Note:**

> please review  
> i thrive on compliments and kind words


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